The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) may have some explaining to do.  Mike Cowan told a British trade publication, "the good news being that June's sales number for global semiconductors was a record high result compared to past (historical) June's sales. The bad news (not mentioned by the WSTS and therefore unexplained) was that a total of approximately $1.44bn of previously reported sales 'was erased'."

To read the article which appeared in Electronics Weekly on August 13, 2008 where Cowan discusses this issue, click here.